Corellian Blood
by mcc1789
Summary: While on a mission to his home world, Han Solo comes face to face with part of his past.


Corellian Blood

A Star Wars fan fiction work

Disclaimer: George Lucas is the creator of Han Solo, and Star Wars, while A. C. Crispin is the creator of related characters depicted in this work under license from Lucas. I have created this story solely for entertainment purposes, rather than profit.

* * *

Han didn't know why he'd accepted the mission exactly. Going back to his home world was very risky, of course, but Han never cared about the risk. Doing this brought up painful memories, however-ones that he'd rather leave behind. So now, two years following the victory at Yavin which he had no small part in, Han went back to Corellia. He remembered it well, his last visit, dropping off children of slaves on Ylesia that had Corellian heritage, which the government had tried to award him the Corellian Bloodstripe for...again. Of course, now he was a wanted man, supposedly for the murder of Grand Moff Tarkin (he ___had _helped to blow the Death Star into dust, with Tarkin on board), and hardly welcome there. _  
_

So what had motivated Renn Tharen to acquire vital information about Imperial movements in his role as a prominent member of the Corellian Merchant's Guild? Contacting the Rebel Alliance, he'd asked to hand the information over to Han personally. The risk of interception by Imperial Intelligence was high, of course, and they felt the Guild was a hotbed of Rebel sympathizers-with good reason it seemed now. However, that did not explain the demand that he return to Corellia for the hand-off. The government in the Corellian sector, under a head of state known as the _Diktat (_from an Old Corellian word for ruler), was a mere puppet of the Empire, despite officially being elected by the global Corellian Council. The Corellian Security Force (CorSec), not to mention the Empire, had Han on their wanted lists. Catching him would be a prize indeed.

Han doubted this was a ploy by Renn to get him caught, but he did feel there was more behind it. And he was afraid it had to do with his daughter, Bria, who had been a Rebel commando, killed in action to retrieve the Death Star plans... and Han's lover before, after he rescued her from slavery on Ylesia. Han had been the one to tell Renn of her death. It had been very hard for him, harder still because Bria had betrayed him on Ylesia, seizing the loot from the slavers to fund the Rebels. Han knew now it had gone to help in getting data on the Death Star, but at the time her action had infuriated him, not least because he promised his fellow smugglers their fair share as payment for help. Yet Han knew Renn was owed whatever Han could give him regarding Bria.

So here he was on the way home to Corellia in an Alliance Intelligence vessel, using a well-made false identity like he'd done so often in the past, with his hair dyed black and having grown a beard. Doing this had only increased the bite of his painful memories, since he met Bria while using a false identity and had seen her again later using one, which he had donned a similar disguise for. The encounter had been devastating-at the time Bria was posing as Moff Sarn Shild's mistress for her work with the Corellian Resistance. Han hadn't know that, and felt it was genuine.

Making the jump into Corellian space, Han tried to put away his recollections. It was lonely here on the ship. Chewie'd wanted to come, of course. There was no way a Wookiee wouldn't raise instant suspicion, though, and he was wanted by the Empire along with Han. He was an old hand at evading detection, of course, and landed covertly on the southern continent where Renn lived. Han recalled his visit to the Tharen estate with Bria the first time, and the crushing realization that her family was so wealthy. It had been intimidating to a man who'd been found in an alley as a boy and taken to be raised by thieves, with all he'd be able to offer Bria being the meager salary of an Imperial officer (before the end of _t____hat_brilliant career).

Camouflaging the ship, Han left on the land speeder he carried in the hold and went off to meet Tharen. They'd arranged to meet in the country when Renn contacted the Alliance, and Han approached the meeting place with trepidation. It annoyed him, knowing his weakness, but try as he might it could not be fully suppressed. He arrived to find a far more expensive land speeder waiting there, which Renn Tharen exited at seeing him. His hair had gone from steel gray to almost white, and he seemed more aged than Han knew him to be.

"Han Solo," Renn said quietly, putting out his hand, and he shook it briefly. "It's good to see you," Renn told him.

"Yes it is, sir," Han replied.

"You don't have to call me sir, Han. You're the one who earned the title."

Self-conscious, Han smiled slightly. "Thanks, I guess," he said.

"You fulfilled Bria's mission," Renn said, his voice breaking slightly. "I can never thank you for it adequately."

Han didn't really know what to say, and following the awkward silence, he replied at last, "I guess it was meant to be."

Yes," Renn nodded in agreement. "Just as my doing this was, to honor the cause she died for." He reached into his jacket, and Han's back stiffened instinctively, feeling the weight of the blaster hidden in his coat. Renn's hand came out with a data card, which he gave to Han.

"That's it," he said unnecessarily. Han nodded, and saw hesitation in Renn's expression.

"There's someone you should meet," he said. Going over to his land speeder, he beckoned inside. "Come out, sweetheart." A girl, around eleven years old, came out of the land speeder. Her hair was dark red-brown, and a tremor started in Han's heart. He guessed who she was, even before Renn said: "This is Bria's daughter."

He paused for a long moment, as the girl stared at Han, her wide hazel eyes flecked with green. "She's also your daughter."

* * *

"Sir, Tharen may have made contact."

The Imperial Intelligence agent came into his superior's office to make the report. "According to surveillance, he left his estate shortly after 0900 hours in a land speeder with his granddaughter."

Surely he wouldn't risk her," his superior objected.

The agent shrugged. "It's a good cover, sir. He doesn't appear to suspect we're onto him, anyway."

His superior nodded in reply. "Very well-launch an intercept at once."

The agent rushed to obey.

* * *

Han's mind reeled. He couldn't see straight, blood rushing to his head, as Renn said, "Briahana, meet your father, Han Solo."

Briahana?" Han exclaimed, gaping, as her eyes grew even wider.

"Yes, Bria chose her name after both of you," Renn said, with a smile, but touched by sadness. "Just as I made her name by combining those of her grandmothers'.

"Why didn't she tell me?" Han demanded, his thoughts whirling.

"She wanted to," Renn told him. "When she came back from Coruscant after leaving you, Bria was pregnant and battling her addiction. It was very hard. She didn't want to burden you then. Bria gave birth to Briahana here. At that point Bria couldn't be a good mother to her. Sera and Pavik were appalled, of course," Renn said with a sigh. Han scowled at this. Bria's mother and brother had made it clear they didn't think he was good (that is, rich) enough for her. He could only imagine what they must have thought of Bria having his child.

"Bria refused to have any contact with them," Renn added. "She went into addiction therapy. At some point she joined the Corellian Resistance. I became Briahana's guardian full time after."

Han shook his head, trying to take this all in. "We met again, though," he said. "She didn't tell me then either."

Renn appeared surprised. "Oh, I didn't know that. Well... I can only imagine that she wanted to wait until it seemed like the right time."

Han felt a burst of resentment welling up. ___Yes__, _he thought, ___after I'd fallen for her again?_Chagrin struck him at having thought that. She hadn't used it to influence him. ___And would I have believed her after what she did on Ylesia?_Han asked himself. Perhaps not. It'd seem like a ploy to him then, furious with her. She must have wanted to tell him after they won. A profound sadness came to him at what might have been.

"What now?" he asked, at a loss.

"I don't know," Renn said. "It just seemed that you should be told."

Han sighed, and knelt by his daughter. "Hey, honey," he said quietly, with a soft smile. "I'm so happy to meet you."

Tears came to her eyes, having listened to all this silently, and Briahana threw her arms over his neck. Han hugged her tightly, closing his eyes. Then they snapped open at the sound of a shuttle craft. Letting go of his daughter, he sprang upright. He swore at the sight of an Imperial shuttle coming up over the horizon.

"We have to get out of here-now!" he told them. "Come with me."

But-" Renn protested, "Sera and Pavik-"

We can't go back for them," Han snapped at him. "The Empire knows what you did. Now get in." They all crowded into Han's land speeder and took off as the shuttle came after them. Its turbo- lasers blazed fire at them, but missed the small target as it sped onward. Han activated the ship's slave circuit as he drew near, mentally giving thanks for it. The ship's hold opened up and he drove the land speeder in as Briahana gasped behind him now. It lifted off, and hidden panels drew back, revealing its concealed weapons. They fired remotely, without much accuracy but enough to make the shuttle veer off, evading. Racing up into the cockpit, he took over direct control, plotting an escape course in the Navigation computer as Renn and Briahana came up behind him.

Han knew they would be sending TIE fighters now, when the shuttle had alerted them. No doubt they had wanted to keep this quiet-too late for that. The intelligence craft shot off into the atmosphere, while the Sector Group stationed in the system began to respond at the alert from below. Slowly the Star Destroyers went to intercept, and Han raced to break free of the gravity well so he could make the jump. As they closed in, he got clear, making the jump ahead of the Imperial pursuit. Sitting back in the pilot's chair, relieved, Han saw that Briahana was trembling from the wild ride. His face softened as he looked at her.

"It's okay, kid. You're with me," he said, and flashed her his grin. She broke into a shy smile, and Han put his arm around her. He knew everything would change now, and that made him feel happier than anything before in his life.

* * *

Afterword: Sera and Pavik Tharen were interrogated by Imperial Intelligence, but released after it became clear they knew nothing. Han raised his daughter with Renn, and when he married Princess Leia Organa in later years, she adopted Briahana Tharen-Solo as her own.


End file.
